Post by Girion47 on Jun 18, 2013 10:16:26 GMT -5

First time going in a couple years so my perspective may be a different, some things are better, some are worse, and unfortunately some shiz has stayed the same.

Worse:1) The lines going into Centeroo are frittated now. Never noticed a line at all before.2) Which Stage? lol Couldn't hear a damn thing3) The VIP sections in the tents, I don't remember these before but they are quacking stupid.

Better:1) The traffic getting in. Congrats bonnaroo, you have finally figured it out.2) I didn't notice near as much of a police presence this year.

Nothing has changed:1) The food is still expensive and mediocre at best2) I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the mud pit between Which and What.... Really?3) Please put screens on the goddang tents.

I don't see why these are "stupid" They're priority for Roll Like a Rockstar. If I dropped that much cash on one festival I'd want to be able to get up to the stage whenever I wanted or else I wouldn't drop that amount of cash the next year. VIP was only being let in if RLAR wasn't filling the place up, and we had also paid for that. It isn't like VIP is just given out to privileged people, a lot of us in the Inforoo camp had saved up for it, had held off on luxuries the whole year to afford it.

kind of makes you wonder how many potheads are all like "fuck VIP" when if they had stayed sober for a 2 months they'd have enough to afford it themselves.

Post by troyaikman on Jun 18, 2013 10:22:09 GMT -5

First time going in a couple years so my perspective may be a different, some things are better, some are worse, and unfortunately some shiz has stayed the same.

Worse:1) The lines going into Centeroo are frittated now. Never noticed a line at all before.2) Which Stage? lol Couldn't hear a damn thing3) The VIP sections in the tents, I don't remember these before but they are quacking stupid.

Better:1) The traffic getting in. Congrats bonnaroo, you have finally figured it out.2) I didn't notice near as much of a police presence this year.

Nothing has changed:1) The food is still expensive and mediocre at best2) I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the mud pit between Which and What.... Really?3) Please put screens on the goddang tents.

I don't see why these are "stupid" They're priority for Roll Like a Rockstar. If I dropped that much cash on one festival I'd want to be able to get up to the stage whenever I wanted or else I wouldn't drop that amount of cash the next year. VIP was only being let in if RLAR wasn't filling the place up, and we had also paid for that. It isn't like VIP is just given out to privileged people, a lot of us in the Inforoo camp had saved up for it, had held off on luxuries the whole year to afford it.

kind of makes you wonder how many potheads are all like "Quack VIP" when if they had stayed sober for a 2 months they'd have enough to afford it themselves.

Yea. I know you're staying in VIP but do you really need a huge ass special section in front of every stage? Can you not wait like the rest of us? You might have fun in the crowd. Try it some time.

It's especially stupid when they aren't full (this is 90% of the time)

Post by mizvalentine on Jun 18, 2013 10:31:25 GMT -5

Sound bleed (especially in the Comedy Tent, which seems like it would be fixable?) and tent screens would really be my only complaint. Our camp space was on the small side but the fire lanes were a great addition. Not having gone last year, I thought the difference this year in how well things were managed was amazing.

Being celiac, I really appreciated that you could get cider at the beer stands in addition to the brewer's tent. Would be great if they'd also offer Redbridge or some other decent gluten free beer. This is totally self-serving, but it would be nice if there was an all-gluten-free food truck. But that's really minimal, more of a 'nice to have' thing.

The Festicab company was fantastic this year. Porto company not bad at all. The lines were super quick this year, and the searches were minimal and respectful. They could probably put down some pallets around the outside of the water stations; in pod 8, there was a nasty mud pit after the first day or so.

My biggest complaint is one that I'm sure will never be answered, and I kinda understand why, but it still frustrates me: please tell us what insecticide you spray the farm with. So many of us are allergic, and I feel like knowing what I'm dealing with would make it somehow more manageable. Maybe I could get a prophylactic shot or something. That said, the solution for me is probably to go RV next year and just not spend so much time on the ground.

Post by mizvalentine on Jun 18, 2013 10:39:58 GMT -5

Oh yeah, one more idea...how bout having a food collection area at the pods on Sunday and Monday? Yet again I packed too much food and I would've loved to give it away to someone who wanted it (my neighbors didn't but I'm sure someone would've). I know they collect and donate abandoned tents and gear, so maybe they could do the same with dry goods, water, etc.

Post by mattgee on Jun 18, 2013 10:48:35 GMT -5

My traffic experience was much worse this year, but apparently I'm alone on that one. Maybe half an hour last year, compared to a solid three hours this year.

The one real problem I had was with the big yellow wire covers in the front of the tents. For most shows it wasn't an issue, but for the more energetic crowds they were a real problem.

Death Grips was especially bad with how intense the pit was. The crowd was constantly pushing back and forth, people just trying to find their footing the whole time, all with that plastic cover running right through it all. Every once in a while someone would slip and trip over it, sending the whole crowd flying in one direction, which made everyone push back against it, all while people were still falling and just trying to stand up...it was scary. I definitely watched people fall and stay down for way too long. A crowd like that at a festival naturally tends to tire itself out in the heat, but the added momentum kept it going a lot longer than it would have normally, and you could see it on people's faces.

I'm sure logistically it would be a nightmare to redirect all the wiring, but having an obstacle like that right in front of the stage is just not a good idea at all.

Post by Cokes on Jun 18, 2013 10:48:59 GMT -5

1. Build a nice little concrete bridge with a culvert under it at the Which Ditch2. Figure out how to get the Which Stage sounding good all the time, instead of it sounding like a mess for Friday and most of Saturday.3. Shade parts of the path that people coming from BFE have to walk. Amusement parks do it for big roller coasters, there's no reason 'Roo can't figure out a way to keep people from baking along the wall.

Post by ntellier85 on Jun 18, 2013 10:51:28 GMT -5

My biggest complaint is one that I'm sure will never be answered, and I kinda understand why, but it still frustrates me: please tell us what insecticide you spray the farm with. So many of us are allergic, and I feel like knowing what I'm dealing with would make it somehow more manageable. Maybe I could get a prophylactic shot or something. That said, the solution for me is probably to go RV next year and just not spend so much time on the ground.

We spoke to them about this last October and they said that they do not spray any kind of insecticide on the grass.

Post by J. Alfred Prufrock on Jun 18, 2013 11:34:40 GMT -5

As much as it'd make waiting more enjoyable, I'm not overwhelmingly pro-screens. It would increase camping at the tents tenfold, and it can already be troublesome enough to get into some sets. Plus, Bonnaroo wants people moving from stage to stage and walking past all of the vendors, so I'm not sure they'd have an interest in that either.

Post by luvdatroo on Jun 18, 2013 11:42:18 GMT -5

How many tickets do they sell each year? Something like 80000 right? add $12.50 to the price of each ticket every price point (except RLRS) and bonnaroo get $1,000,000, by the end of two or at most three years all of these problems could be solved. Call it a farm use fee or something. and use it one year to fix the ditch, another year to add screens. I would have gladly paid 12.50 right then and there to make get rid of the ditch Friday night after sir paul and Saturday after Bjork.

Coachella is great sure but boy is it expensive. but I guess that is a part of why it is so great because they take in enough money to really keep the property top notch. That ditch between stages would never fly at Coachella. Its disgusting and its probably a health code violation.

Post by Girion47 on Jun 18, 2013 11:46:31 GMT -5

I don't see why these are "stupid" They're priority for Roll Like a Rockstar. If I dropped that much cash on one festival I'd want to be able to get up to the stage whenever I wanted or else I wouldn't drop that amount of cash the next year. VIP was only being let in if RLAR wasn't filling the place up, and we had also paid for that. It isn't like VIP is just given out to privileged people, a lot of us in the Inforoo camp had saved up for it, had held off on luxuries the whole year to afford it.

kind of makes you wonder how many potheads are all like "Quack VIP" when if they had stayed sober for a 2 months they'd have enough to afford it themselves.

Yea. I know you're staying in VIP but do you really need a huge ass special section in front of every stage? Can you not wait like the rest of us? You might have fun in the crowd. Try it some time.

It's especially stupid when they aren't full (this is 90% of the time)

Considering the size of the crowd for Weird Al, Billy Idol, and Matt & Kim compared to how fucking quiet the Tents were this year, yeah having that spot up front is nice. When I got to Weird Al I was at the back of the standing crowd and couldn't hear it. Same with Matt & Kim.

Audio overall was terrible this year, without VIP I don't know that I would have heard any of the bands. Way too high on the bass and far too low on the vocals.

Post by memphis1979 on Jun 18, 2013 11:53:21 GMT -5

Deal with Thursday better, there are a lot of people there a lot earlier than in years past. Specifically:

1. Open up Centeroo earlier on Thursday.

2. Book the same kinds bands, no huge acts, but for Quacks sake put a few on which. The fun of checking out smaller acts is ruined by insane crowds.

Build some flexibility into the comedy schedule so when there is a ton of demand for tix people don't have to waste whole days waiting. Or deal with jerkstores scalping comedy tickets. Saw the same guy do this twice for two different Cross shows.

Sound bleed from the Miller Stage (as has been mentioned). Why ruin the sound for a lot of people trying to see a major act so some small band can play?

I agree, if camping opens wednesday, centroo should be open at 2 am on Thursday, or open from the get go. Also, shutting down centroo after the finale is just dumb. A lot of folks by merch after the last show.

The comedy thing has got to have a better way. I waited in line from noon till 2:30 for saget. Got back at 3:30 and I had to sit way in the back. So for front row you've gotta wait 5 to 6 hours?

Post by elrooster on Jun 18, 2013 12:15:38 GMT -5

How many tickets do they sell each year? Something like 80000 right? add $12.50 to the price of each ticket every price point (except RLRS) and bonnaroo get $1,000,000, by the end of two or at most three years all of these problems could be solved. Call it a farm use fee or something. and use it one year to fix the ditch, another year to add screens. I would have gladly paid 12.50 right then and there to make get rid of the ditch Friday night after sir paul and Saturday after Bjork.

Coachella is great sure but boy is it expensive. but I guess that is a part of why it is so great because they take in enough money to really keep the property top notch. That ditch between stages would never fly at Coachella. Its disgusting and its probably a health code violation.

Bonnaroo is based on the European festivals which are pretty much mud holes every year with all the rain they have there. But the Europeans accept the mud and rain and have discovered over the years that roughing it is what brings out the spirit of the festival and create bonds. 'We are all in this together' is the idea. I think the heat is more of a bonding factor than mud for us at Bonnaroo but we accept it, work through it, and still have the time of our lives every year.

What I love about Bonnaroo most is that it not slick. Doing four days at Bonnaroo is a challenge.

Bonnaroo's founders have the resources to fix every mud hole on side but they don't want too. They could pave the camp roads but I really doubt it will happen. They could build all kind of permanent structures (toilets/showers/etc) but that is not what they want.

I must say I have never been to Coachella but it seems very neat and clean but does it have the vibe or spirit of Bonnaroo?

Post by Delicious Meatball Sub on Jun 18, 2013 12:17:48 GMT -5

How many tickets do they sell each year? Something like 80000 right? add $12.50 to the price of each ticket every price point (except RLRS) and bonnaroo get $1,000,000, by the end of two or at most three years all of these problems could be solved. Call it a farm use fee or something. and use it one year to fix the ditch, another year to add screens. I would have gladly paid 12.50 right then and there to make get rid of the ditch Friday night after sir paul and Saturday after Bjork.

Coachella is great sure but boy is it expensive. but I guess that is a part of why it is so great because they take in enough money to really keep the property top notch. That ditch between stages would never fly at Coachella. Its disgusting and its probably a health code violation.

Bonnaroo is based on the European festivals which are pretty much mud holes every year with all the rain they have there. But the European accept the mud and rain have discovered that roughing it brings out the spirit of the festival and create bonds. 'We are all in this together' is the idea. I think the heat is more of a bonding factor than mud for us at Bonnaroo but we accept it, work through it, and still have the time of our lives every year.

What I love about Bonnaroo most is that it not slick. Doing four days at Bonnaroo is a challenge.

Bonnaroo's founders have the resources to fix every mud hole on side but they don't want too. They could pave the camp roads but I really doubt it will happen. They could build all kind of permanent structures (toilets/showers/etc) but that is not what they want.

I must say I have never been to Coachella but it seems very neat,clean, and sterile but but does it have the vibe or spirit of Bonnaroo?

I totally agree. People constantly complaining about not being able to see or hear the artists at a music festival really improves the experience.

Post by luvdatroo on Jun 18, 2013 12:23:03 GMT -5

How many tickets do they sell each year? Something like 80000 right? add $12.50 to the price of each ticket every price point (except RLRS) and bonnaroo get $1,000,000, by the end of two or at most three years all of these problems could be solved. Call it a farm use fee or something. and use it one year to fix the ditch, another year to add screens. I would have gladly paid 12.50 right then and there to make get rid of the ditch Friday night after sir paul and Saturday after Bjork.

Coachella is great sure but boy is it expensive. but I guess that is a part of why it is so great because they take in enough money to really keep the property top notch. That ditch between stages would never fly at Coachella. Its disgusting and its probably a health code violation.

Bonnaroo is based on the European festivals which are pretty much mud holes every year with all the rain they have there. But the Europeans accept the mud and rain and have discovered over the years that roughing it is what brings out the spirit of the festival and create bonds. 'We are all in this together' is the idea. I think the heat is more of a bonding factor than mud for us at Bonnaroo but we accept it, work through it, and still have the time of our lives every year.

What I love about Bonnaroo most is that it not slick. Doing four days at Bonnaroo is a challenge.

Bonnaroo's founders have the resources to fix every mud hole on side but they don't want too. They could pave the camp roads but I really doubt it will happen. They could build all kind of permanent structures (toilets/showers/etc) but that is not what they want.

I must say I have never been to Coachella but it seems very neat,clean, and sterile but but does it have the vibe or spirit of Bonnaroo?

It's not the mud that I have a problem with. I can deal with water mixed with dirt to make mud. I do not feel like I have an obligation toward through an open sewer flowing from the Porto johns.

Post by mmcguire on Jun 18, 2013 12:29:50 GMT -5

Only let people who actually have children into Family Camping. We saw numerous people with a yellow F in their windshields (so had requested & gotten FC) but had no kids. It was ridiculously loud over there and had filled up by noon Thursday. There was music blasting over there all night, to the point we had to sleep in earplugs.

It was loud, those people with the speakers had a little girl with them- I think? Where were you?

Oh my gosh really? Poor kid. I never actually saw them; just heard all the noise. If you left the port-o-john on the far left near the Pod 7 balloon, then walked straight back, we were about the third or fourth campsite. We had a silver Yukon, a red dome tent and a blue screen tent. We had a flag pole with a red & white St. George's flag and a green and yellow Ireland flag. There were a couple of college-age couples behind us, and across the way were some folks with a pickup and a Jeep who had a pirate flag and (I think) an Alabama flag. They were actually kind enough to jump us off on Friday and also gave us some watermelon Saturday.

Where were you?

There was a couple camped right in front of us the first day, but they oddly left mid-day Thursday and never came back, but appearntly packed up their stuff and left some time on Friday. They sat in their car almost the entire time they were there. My husband saw the woman and said she looked like she was pregnant. Maybe the heat was too much for her and they decided to get a room.

Post by lansman on Jun 18, 2013 12:43:08 GMT -5

1. Another vote for fixing the mud pit area between What and Which.2. Better planning of projected crowds for artists - Which Stage was packed for Edward Sharpe, Of Monsters and Men, et al, with the crowd packed all the way back to the New Music stage. Sound bleed between Which and This was awful.3. The return of something similar to the StubHub sports bar from 2012 - the line to get into the Cinema tent for the NBA Finals was ridiculous and not worth waiting for.4. Another vote for screens on all major stages.5. Additional shade options to cut down on the people squeezing into approximately 1 sq. ft. of space available between people under the trees at the Which Stage.6. More toilets at the What Stage. There is ample space along the very back along the fence to line up toilets similar to how they are arranged at the Other Tent.

Post by luvdatroo on Jun 18, 2013 12:51:23 GMT -5

elrooster, that wasn't always mud. I love me some good clean mud. Nothing wrong with it. Often it was raw sewage overflowing from the portos. The little streams flowing from under the toilets by the ditch between stages do not leak water. But you go ahead and have fun stomping around in the "mud" or whatever you want to call it.

Post by WakkaMacca on Jun 18, 2013 13:14:17 GMT -5

Better plan the Miller stage schedule so that half the back of the crowd can't hear at Which Stage.

Lumineers was ruined for me.

As for R. Kelly etc., I LOVED the R. Kelly show. I thought he was an incredible showman. I went to the show for the novelty but ended up adoring it. Every festival that gains popularity is going to draw in some of the wrong crowd. It's just how it is.

Same here. I went there just to say I've seen R. Kelly and damn I was blown away. His voice is awesome and he was pretty funny too. Loved that show.

Post by Delicious Meatball Sub on Jun 18, 2013 13:26:31 GMT -5

Better plan the Miller stage schedule so that half the back of the crowd can't hear at Which Stage.

Lumineers was ruined for me.

As for R. Kelly etc., I LOVED the R. Kelly show. I thought he was an incredible showman. I went to the show for the novelty but ended up adoring it. Every festival that gains popularity is going to draw in some of the wrong crowd. It's just how it is.

Same here. I went there just to say I've seen R. Kelly and damn I was blown away. His voice is awesome and he was pretty funny too. Loved that show.

Post by manoverboard on Jun 18, 2013 13:35:04 GMT -5

they really need to do something about the sound at the which stage. If you're not in the first 20 rows you cant hear anything. Nothing I hate more than being able to hear someone's conversation in the crowd over the music being played.

Post by stillwater on Jun 18, 2013 14:55:28 GMT -5

I agree with most of this thread re: which stage, overcrowding, ditch, tent screens. Would like to add that there needs to be more restrooms at the What Stage. The lines were like 30 minutes. There was tons of extra room, just add more portapotties in the back.

Post by auerrn on Jun 18, 2013 15:02:43 GMT -5

It was loud, those people with the speakers had a little girl with them- I think? Where were you?

Oh my gosh really? Poor kid. I never actually saw them; just heard all the noise. If you left the port-o-john on the far left near the Pod 7 balloon, then walked straight back, we were about the third or fourth campsite. We had a silver Yukon, a red dome tent and a blue screen tent. We had a flag pole with a red & white St. George's flag and a green and yellow Ireland flag. There were a couple of college-age couples behind us, and across the way were some folks with a pickup and a Jeep who had a pirate flag and (I think) an Alabama flag. They were actually kind enough to jump us off on Friday and also gave us some watermelon Saturday.

Where were you?

There was a couple camped right in front of us the first day, but they oddly left mid-day Thursday and never came back, but appearntly packed up their stuff and left some time on Friday. They sat in their car almost the entire time they were there. My husband saw the woman and said she looked like she was pregnant. Maybe the heat was too much for her and they decided to get a room.

We were diagonal from you. Two sites over from the pirate flag and next to the gigantic gazebo. Were yall next to the people with the generator. We were the crv with the ezup and orange tent- I was the one cooking bacon every morning.

Post by railroad436 on Jun 18, 2013 15:13:27 GMT -5

A major improvement would be to not invite anybody like R. Kelly, Wu Tang, NAS, Boyz Noise. Those artists DESTROYED the Bonnaroo experience this year. Hordes of "bros" and dumb pieces of shiz attended the festival this year. What normally feels like a fun, good energy community was ruined. Last year the bathrooms were "clean", people were respectful, the fence was spray painted artistically, and there was pretty much NO trash on the ground.

This year the fence was covered in ghetto looking graffiti, people were very rude, and the type of people those artists brought really ruined the whole vibe/experience.

Trying to sit there and listen to Billy Idol (who was stuck in the smallest stage) tons and tons of bros walked by on their way to R Kelly and just kept dropping trash where I was sitting. Seriously every couple people who walked by would just drop a cup, bottle, or something on the ground. The people that listen to these shiz artists had NO respect for other people or the festival. They really trashed the place.

Worst Bonnaroo I've ever experienced.

LOL! First of all - the bathrooms were trashed last year. I didnt find a single clean one after Thursday. This year, I only went into one that was all the bad and it was 4AM in Centeroo so I didnt expect anything less.

Second, the fence looked the same as it always does.

Third, there is always trash on the ground. It's a shame but 80k plus people will do that no matter who makes up the crowd. People, by nature, are lazy, especially when they know someone will come pick up after them.

Fourth, I was at Boyz Noize and the show was amazing and so was the crowd. That was one of the only points of the weekend where I talked to tons of strangers who were all cool as hell and open to chatting.

I will say that the crowd seemed more cliquish and less open to other people. Last year, I had dozens of random conversations, this year it seemed like everyone stuck to their group.